Metal piano-brace.



W. G. SGHWAMK METAL PIANO BEACH.

APPLIOATION FILED 191:0. 17, 1908.

1,026,466. Patented May 14 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN C. SCHWAMB, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN WANAMAKER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METAL PIANO-BRACE.

Application filed December 17, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LVVARREN C. SCHWAMB, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Piano-Braces, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a brace or support for the rim to which the casing of a piano is attached and upon which the edge of the sounding board is seated, whereby the rim and easing are maintained in their original positions, thus serving to keep the sounding board in its arched position so that its tension will not change.

Other objects of my invention will appear in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

It is a well known fact that unless suitable support is provided to maintain the sounding board of a piano in its arched position, the tendency of the sounding board is to flatten out or otherwise change from its original position, whereby the desired vibrations of the sounding board, induced by the vibrations of the strings of the piano, are lost and an unsatisfactory and imperfect tone is obtained when the instrument is played. This tendency of the soundingboard to change from its original position may be due to the downward pressure upon the bridge upon the sounding board, across which the strings extend, or to climatic conditions, and it is essential in order to prevent this action that the edge of the sounding board should be firmly seated and held, and by my invention I provide efficient means for that purpose.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference figures indicate similar parts Figure l is, a bottom plan view of a grand piano showing my improved piano brace mounted therein, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the manner of fastening my piano brace to the rim.

In Fig. 1, 1 indicates the outer casing of the piano and 3 the rim inclosed by the easing and upon which the sounding board is seated. The rim 3 is made up of a number Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1912. Serial No. 467,926.

of strips of seasoned wood firmly joined together by any suitable means such as glue, or by the process of veneering. My improved piano brace preferably made of metal, is indicated at 4 and consists of a head 5, from which extend radiating arms 6, 7, 8 and 9, fastened together by cross ties 10. Arms 7 and 8 extend from the head 5 to the rear end of the piano, and arms 6 and 9 extended from the head to the sides of the piano, the arms terminating in shoes 12, preferably made integral therewith. I have provided adaptable and efficient means for fastening the shoes 12 to the rim 3 by forming the shoes 12 with a recess in which blocks 13 preferably made of wood, are fitted. The blocks 13 are preferably slightly thicker than the depth of the recesses in the shoes and are shaped to conform to the curvature of the rim 3. Nuts 14, preferably of polygonal form, are suitably fitted within the rim 3, with which the bolts 15 are adapted to engage. The arms are fastened to the rim 3 by passing the bolts 15 through suitable holes provided in the shoes, blocks and rim, into the nuts 14: and then tightening the bolts by applying a wrench or other suitable means to the heads of the bolts. Among the advantages of this form of fastening device is that the wooden blocks 13 may be easily made to conform to the curvature of the rim, and again, that slight inaccuracies in the length of the arms may be overcome by varying the thickness of the blocks.

It will be apparent that by my invention, I have provided a firm and adjustable support for the sounding-board rim and the casing of a piano, support being afforded to the parts thereof upon which the strain is greatest and that when the sounding board is seated upon the rim 3 with its edge in contact with the casing 1, it will be impossible for the sounding board to spread, inasmuch as the rim and casing are immovably held by the brace 4. To add increased strength to the piano brace and to prevent the spread-' ing of the arms, I have connected the arms by the cross ties 10, thus forming an integral structure of great strength and durability and which will prevent the spreading of the rim in any direction. The head 5 is fastened to the stationary cross bar 16.

While I have only shown my invention as embodied in a piano of the grand type,

it Will be obvious that it may be equally Well utilized in a piano of the upright type, by making obvious changes in its construction. to fit the casing of an upright piano.

I do not Wish to limit myself to the particular form of fastening the brace to the rim of a piano, as it Will be apparent that various Ways of fastening the brace to the rim may be used, Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination With a piano rim and a cross-bar, of a piano brace comprising a plurality of stiff arms integrally united at one end and extending radially from said union, said united ends being rigidly attached to said cross-bar intermediate of the ends of said cross-bar and the outer ends of said arms being rigidly attached to said rim, the outer ends of the outer of said arms being rigidly secured to the sides of said rim adjacent to said cross-bar, and a rigid tie-rod extending between and connecting the outer ends of the outer of said arms and the inner arms, intermediate the ends there of, to one another.

2. The combination With a piano rim and a cross-bar, of a piano brace comprising a plurality of stiff arms integrally united at one end and extending radially from said union, said united ends being rigidly attached to said cross-bar intermediate of the ends of said cross-bar and the outer ends of said arms being rigidly attached to said rim, the outer ends of the outer of said arms being rigidly secured to the sides of said rim adjacent to said cross-bar, and a rigid tierod integral With said arms, connecting the outer ends of said outer arms together and the intermediate arms between their ends to each other and to the ends of said outer arms.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of December, A. D. 1908.

WARREN G. SGHW AMB.

Vitnesses:

FREDERICK A. BLOUNT, ALEXANDER PARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing; the

Washington, D. 0.

Commissioner of Patents, 

